The present invention relates to a temperature limiter, especially for use in combination with an electric cooking plate.
From German Pat. No. 1,123,059, it is generally known to construct a temperature limiter which has a one-piece housing made of insulating material with a recess which can be closed by a cover. In the recess a bimetal and snap switch as well as a counter-contact of the snap switch are fastened by laterally inserting them into slots. This temperature limiter has, since it works with the bimetal, a relatively high switching hysteresis, i.e., the temperature difference between switching off and subsequently switching on is relatively high. Bimetals are very unstable in high temperature ranges of about 300.degree. - 400.degree. C. and have no great actuating power. The force for switching off the snap switch can, for this reason, only be provided after the elasticity of the bimetal had been overcome.
Furthermore from German Pat. No. 756,796, an electric switch is known which has a temperature detector consisting of a sleeve and a rod which have different co-efficients of expansion. Additionally, a switch with a switch spring and a spring tongue being prestressed by buckling strain are provided. The snap switch and the temperature detector are, however, mounted freely and without housing on sheet metal parts. Apart from the fact that the switch does not work like a snap switch but is given a "creeping" contact, elasticities influence the accuracy of the switching.